C24 The messenger

Silence stretched between Maya and Jasmine, heavy with unspoken questions and a simmering tension. Maya clutched the crumpled paper in her hand, its message a burning weight against her skin.

"Thank you," Maya whispered again, her voice barely a tremor in the stillness of the night.

Jasmine studied the young girl, her gaze sharp. Something flickered in Maya's eyes – a desperate hope